Wasp Pollination

Updated: 29th January 2021


Within moments of me sharing this article about wasp pollination on Twitter, I was sent a tweet with a link to more research on this subject:

"The Hemipepsis wasp-pollination system in South Africa: a comparative analysis of trait convergence in a highly specialized plant guild" - ADAM SHUTTLEWORTH, STEVEN D. JOHNSON - Article first published online: 15 FEB 2012 - The Botanical Journal of The Linnean Society.

See wasp pollination study.

The study investigates pollination of a group of flowers from the families: Apocynaceae (dogbanes), Orchidaceae (orchids) and Asparagaceae subfamily Scilloideae (hyacinths)), in a specific location in South Africa.

But what did they find?


They found that a high proportion of the flowers were pollinated almost exclusively by wasp species!

The study found similarities in colouring patterns of these plants pollinated by wasps, when compared with plants pollinated by other pollinators (vectors).

Wasp on Astrantia flower.

More links:


Wasp Life Cycle
Spare a thought for wasps! They are given a bad reputation, but they are fascinating and complex creatures! Read about the life cycle of solitary and social wasps.


More About Flower Pollination
Find out how plants attract their perfect pollinators (pollination syndromes).












If you kill wasps you may only attract more of them.

Read about:

Preventing Wasp Stings


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leafcutter bee on sweet pea plant sweet peas for bees